The present invention generally relates to paintball guns, and more particularly relates to feeder apparatuses used in feeding of a supply of paintballs to a paintball gun.
The game of paintball is one in which two or more xe2x80x9cmilitaryxe2x80x9d teams try to capture one another""s flags. The players on the teams each typically carry a compressed gas-powered gun that shoots paintballsxe2x80x94gelatin or plastic spherical capsules which usually contain a colored liquid. When a player is hit with a paintball from an adversary""s gun, the paintball ruptures and leaves a colored xe2x80x9csplatxe2x80x9d on the hit player who is then xe2x80x9coutxe2x80x9d and must leave the game.
As the game of paintball has grown in sophistication, semiautomatic paintball gunsxe2x80x94guns that sequentially fire individual paintballs as fast as the trigger can be repeatedly pulledxe2x80x94have become more prevalent. The high firing rate capability of semiautomatic paintball guns has necessitated the use of bulk loader devices in conjunction with such guns.
Generally, a paintball gun assembly includes a storage container, such as a hopper feeder adapted to internally store a relatively large quantity of paintballs (for example 100-200 paintballs) Connected to the storage container is one or more feed tubes connected to the gun""s infeed.
During normal operation of the paintball gun assembly paintball jams intermittently occur in the storage container and/or feeder tube(s). These jams prevent the normal delivery of paintballs, with the result that the paintball stack can be totally depleted by several shots of the gun. Similar jams may occur in the feed tube, thereby preventing delivery of paintballs to the paintball gun""s infeed.
In the past, clearing of such jams has required that the gun be forcibly shaken to dislodge the paintballs causing the jam within the storage containers and/or for the feed tube to be manually cleared. Such solutions are undesirable since it at best interrupts the proper aiming of the paintball gun and, of course, correspondingly interrupts the gun user""s ability to continue the rapid firing of the gun, and may at worse render the gun temporarily unusable.
The present invention provides jam free paintball feeders for feeding paintballs to a paintball gun. Representatively, the paintball gun with which the jam free feeder(s) are incorporated is a semiautomatic paintball gun having a hollow infeed portion, which is adapted to receive a supply of paintballs from a source of paintballs, such as a paintball hopper, which are widely used in the art.
The jam free paintball feeders of the invention can be conveniently divided into two groups of aspects. The first group of aspects provides jam free paintball feeders which are positioned in the paintball feed system between the exit of the housing and the infeed of the paintball gun, and thus operated to feed paintballs within the feed tube(s). For convenience such paintball feeders are referred to below simply as xe2x80x9cpaintball feedersxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cfeeders.xe2x80x9d The second group of aspects is drawn to paintball feeders that prevent jams of paintballs in an attached or connected paintball storage container. For convenience, such feeders are referred to as xe2x80x9cin-container feeders,xe2x80x9d to distinguish them from paintball feeders position. In some aspects of the invention, paintball guns which include both aspects in combination are further provided.
In general, the paintball feeder of the invention includes (a) a first moveable component, made of a flexible material that is compliant to (i.e., which yields to) a paintball used in the paintball gun when the paintball is brought into contact with the first moveable component, and (b) a second component. The space between the first moveable component and the second component is less than the diameter of a paintball to be fed to the paintball gun, such that when a paintball contacts the first moveable component and second component it is frictionally engaged between the first moveable component and the second component. In such a state, the movement of the first moveable component imparts movement to the paintball while permitting slippage of the paintball relative to the movement of the first moveable component.
The first moveable component can be made of any suitable compliant material. Examples of suitable materials include synthetic and natural rubbers, and urethane based materials, particularly polyurethane. Polyurethane is preferred. The material can be of any suitable hardness. Generally, polyurethane materials between about 70 and about 100 durometer in hardness are suitable. Preferably, polyurethane materials at about 90 durometer hardness are used.
The first moveable component can take any suitable shape for urging paintballs through a feeder. For example, the first moveable component can take the form of a disk or disk-like surface. In other aspects of the invention the first moveable component can take the form of a moveable belt, such as a compliant conveyor belt. The first moveable component can have any suitable hardness. Preferably, the first moveable component has a hardness of about 70 to about 100, more preferably about 90, as measured by a Shore A durometer.
The invention further provides paintball feeders where the amount of friction exerted on the paintball in the feeder can be modified through selecting from removable components to use in the feeder. In one such aspect, the first moveable component and/or the second component in the feeder apparatus are removable components, such that the thickness of the first moveable component and the second component may be increased or decreased to vary the width between the two surfaces.
The first moveable component may be backed by a less flexible support surface, which engages and puts pressure on the exterior surface of the first movable surface. For example, when the feeder incorporates a compliant disk as the first moveable component, the support surface typically will take the form of a less-compliant disk which is positioned on the exterior side of the compliant disk. Normally, the support surface will have a smaller horizontal diameter than the contact surface. The diameter of the support surface may be varied to alter the amount of pressure applied to the first movable surface and thus to the paintball during transit through the paintball feeder. The support surface is preferably connected to the feeder by an adjustable component, such as an adjustable nut and bolt assembly, which engages the support surface, and provides another technique for adjusting the pressure applied to the paintball.
The feeder can further include compliant contacts, which are connected to, or alternatively integrally formed with, the first moveable component. The compliant contacts protrudes toward the second component such the compliant contacts contact the paintball. Contacting the paintball, the compliant contacts assist the first moveable component in imparting movement to the paintball, unless or until the paintball exerts a sufficient force on the compliant contacts to cause the compliant contacts to yield to the paintball. For example, when a paintball becomes obstructed in or between said paintball feeder and said paintball gun (e.g., in the feed tube between the feeder and the gun""s infeed), the paintball typically will exert a sufficient force on the compliant contact(s) to cause the compliant contact(s) to yield to, and thus slip past the surface of, the paintballs in the feeder.
The compliant contacts can be formed at least in part by one or more contact indentations or holes in the first moveable component. In such aspects, the first moveable component will typically include more contact indentations or holes than the number of paintballs the paintball feeder holds at a time. At least one of the paintballs in the paintball feeder are held by more than one of the indentations or holes between the time the paintball enters and exits the feeder. The compliant contacts may also include a moveable attachment attached to the first moveable component. The moveable attachment can take any suitable form, such as for example, whisker-like projections or finger-like projections. The compliant contacts can also include a textured surface. Where the first moveable component includes a moveable belt, the moveable belt can also include one or more compliant contacts, which possess similar qualities and operate in a similar manner.
The second component may also be a moveable component, or even a compliant moveable component similar to the first moveable component. Alternatively, the second component may be a non-compliant surface, and may even be formed from the body of the feeder itself.
Preferably, the first moveable component is selectively moveable in a normal feed direction and in the opposite direction (e.g., clockwise and counterclockwise). Preferably, the first moveable component is operated such that when one or more paintballs in the feeder cannot exit the feeder, the first moveable component may be selectively operated in the opposite of the normal feed direction, thus unloading the paintballs. Moreover, the ability of the feeder to urge the paintballs to move in the opposite direction of the normal feed direction in such aspects provides a convenient means for unloading the feeder when desired. As paintballs are removed from the feeder by this technique, the pressure on paintballs in the second feed tube and in the gun""s firing is removed. Thus, such aspects paintballs can be removed from the second feed tube and paintball gun, as well as the paintball feeder.
Normally, the feeder will further include a motor, such as a standard direct current (DC) battery-driven motor, for driving the first moveable component. The paintball feeder also preferably includes a detector, which detects an event or stimulus (signal) such as the firing of the paintball gun. In such aspects, the motor preferably is a selectively operable motor operably linked to the detector. In operation of the feeder, the detector senses a firing of the gun, the motor is operatively activated and the first moveable component and/or second component (if it is also moveable) is driven by the motor in response to a signal received from the detector.
The above-described elements of the feeders of the invention can be combined in any suitable combination. For example, in a preferred aspect of the invention, the feeder includes a first rotating disk and a second contact surface, which preferably is a second rotating disk. As indicated above, the space between the first and second-rotating disks is less than the diameter of a paintball. The first rotating disk, the second rotating disk, or both, are preferably made of a flexible material, such as a thin sheet of rubber (or more particularly, a urethane). Thus, the first rotating disk and/or second rotating disk will be compliant to the paintball when the paintball contacts the disks, such that the paintball is frictionally engaged between the rotating disks. The rotation of the first and the second rotating disks urges the paintball to move in a substantially rotational path through the feeder, while permitting slippage of the paintball relative to the movement of the first rotating disk, the second rotating disk, or both.
In other preferred aspects, the paintball feeder includes a compliant moveable belt, typically a conveyor belt, which includes or is made of a material compliant to paintballs to be fed through the feeder, as discussed above, and a contact surface, with the space between them being less than the diameter of the paintball. Similar to aspects discussed above, the paintball upon contact with the conveyor belt is frictionally engaged between the conveyor belt and the contact surface, such that the movement of the conveyor belt urges the movement of the paintball while permitting slippage of the paintball relative to the movement of the conveyor belt. Preferably, the conveyer belt includes compliant contacts, similar to those described above. For example, the conveyor belt may include a compliant conveyor paddle, connected to, or integrally formed with, the conveyor belt.
The invention provides further aspects of the feeder including more than one conveyor belt. For example, another preferred aspect includes a first compliant conveyor belt and, a second opposing conveyor belt, where the space between the first and second conveyor belts is smaller than the diameter of the paintball. In such aspects, the movement of the first conveyor belt alone, or in combination with the second conveyor belt, urges the movement of the paintball while permitting slippage of the paintball relative to the movement of the first conveyor belt, second conveyor belt, or both. Further in such aspects, the first conveyor belt, the second conveyor belt, or both can further include compliant contacts, formed and operating similar to those described above. Preferably, when a paintball temporarily jams in exiting or prior to exiting the paintball feeder in such aspects, the paintball exerts a sufficient force on the compliant vertical surface to cause the surface to yield to the paintball.
As mentioned above, paintball guns, which incorporate feeders provided by the invention typically, include a housing suitable for internally storing a quantity of paintballs, such as a hopper. Typically, the paintball gun will further include connecting the hopper to the paintball gun""s infeed. Where a feeder according to the invention is used, the paintball gun assembly will typically include two feed tubes. In such aspects, a first feed tube connects to the entrance of the feeder. The paintballs can be fed through the first feed tube either by gravity or by some positive force, such as, for example, by means of a conveyor in the feed tube or, more typically, pneumatically (e.g., driven through the feed tube by compressed CO2 or other gas). Where a positive feed between the storage container and feeder is used, the storage container can be in a remote location, for example, in a backpack or other storage container convenient for use in competitions using the paintball gun. Thus, the feed tubes can be in any orientation with respect to the paintball storage container, feeder, and paintball gun infeed.
The invention further provides paintball guns where an in-container jam free feeder is incorporated in the paintball storage container, which prevents jamming of paintballs in the paintball storage container, while the feeder of the invention delivers paintball to the paintball gun. As mentioned above, the paintball storage container will typically take the form of a hopper. Thus, incontainer jam free paintball feeders in such aspects may be referred to as xe2x80x9chopper feeders.xe2x80x9d
One example of a hopper feeder device includes an agitator disposed in the housing. The agitator typically will include an agitator paddle, which rotates in a manner such that an end portion of the paddle sweeps across an interior section of the housing directly above the housing outlet opening. Preferably, the agitator paddle is rotationally driven, for example through a gear train, by a motor, such as a small direct current electric motor. The agitator preferably can be selectively operated to clear a paintball feed jam in the housing. The agitator accomplishes this by shifting one or more paintballs positioned at or near the bottom outlet opening to prevent the paintballs from jamming the housing and outlet.
An alternative hopper feeder aspect of the invention includes a conveyor feed apparatus, which includes holders (e.g., paddles) spatially separated along the conveyor. The holders are used for holding and transmitting the paintballs from the lower end of the housing into the feed tube in response to each firing of the gun. Typically, in such aspects, a motor drives the operation of the conveyors. The paintballs moving through the housing eventually drop onto the conveyor and are transmitted from the lower portion of the housing through a feed tube and into the gun by the positive movement of the conveyor. In such one-conveyor hopper feeders, paintballs drop onto the conveyor belt between the holders and are transported by the conveyor system to the feed tube. Alternatively, such conveyor hopper feeders include two conveyors positioned parallel to each other forming a channel in between. Each conveyor includes a conveyor belt, wheels and holders (e.g., paddles). Preferably, the conveyors have drive wheels and free spinning wheels, the drive wheels rotating in opposite directions to move the holders in a uniform direction through the channel. The paintballs fall into a channel formed between the two conveyors and are held within the space formed between the holders. The paintballs are transmitted through the housing to the feed tube, and subsequently to the feeder. Of course, while described as hopper feeders, such aspects can be used with any suitable paintball storage container.
As mentioned above, the paintball feeder and/or in-container feeder, as applicable, preferably are selectively operable to a given event or stimulus, such as in response to the firing of the paintball gun, by incorporation of a sensor which senses the firing of the gun and a controller which responsively operates one or both feeders in the system, as applicable, in response to the event. The sensor and controller can be, and preferably are, a single unit or component. Any suitable control or sensor can be used. For example, the sensor can be an accelerometer, a pressure sensor, a sound detector, or any other detector capable of detecting the firing of the paintball gun. The controller can be any standard switch for selectively operating the motor. Preferably, the jam preventing system automatically operates on each firing of the paintball gun.
As mentioned above, the paintball feeders and/or in-container feeders of the invention preferably include a motor for driving the moving components of the invention (e.g., the rotating compliant disks, conveyors, or agitator paddle). Preferably, the motor is supported on the feeder, or on the underside of the housing for hopper-internal feeders, and powered by a battery, such as a DC battery, supported on the gun near the motor. Typically, though not necessarily, the motor and battery are connected in series in a DC electrical circuit provided with a main on/off switch operable to selectively turn the jam preventing system on and off. In aspects of the invention where two conveyors are provided (i.e., for use in the feeder or hopper-internal feeders of the invention), either a single motor with suitable gearing or two separate motors can be used to drive the conveyors.
The paintball feeder of the invention receives the paintballs from the first feed tube and delivers them to the paintball gun through a second feed tube which connects the exit of the feeder to the infeed of the paintball gun.
The invention further provides methods of feeding paintballs to a paintball gun using the paintball feeders of the invention. In a first method, a source of paintballs to be fed to a paintball feeder and a paintball feeder is provided. Then paintballs are fed to the paintball feeder. A first compliant component and a second component, with distance between them being smaller than the diameter of the paintballs, as discussed above, engage the paintballs, such that the first moveable compliant component yields to the paintball upon contact and imparts movement to the paintballs to feed them to the paintball gun.
In other methods provided by the invention, a paintball container is provided and connected to one of the paintball feeders of the invention, and paintballs are fed from the container to one of the connected paintball feeder. Thus, in a second method, a first compliant rotating disk and a drive channel engage the paintballs fed from the container, and the first compliant disk imparts movement to the paintballs causing them to be fed to the paintball gun. In a third method, a first compliant rotating disk and a second compliant rotating disk engage the paintballs, and both compliant disks impart movement to the paintballs to feed them to the paintball gun. In a fourth method, a first compliant conveyor belt and a drive channel engage the paintballs, and the first compliant conveyor belt imparts movement to the paintballs and thus feeds them to the paintball gun. In a fifth method, a first compliant conveyor belt and a second compliant conveyor belt engage the paintballs and impart movement to them to feed them to the paintball gun.
The invention may be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings and in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.